Skoda Fabia review - Reliability and safety
Safety kit is good, while reliability shouldn’t be an issue for the Fabia
It may be a supermini, but the Skoda Fabia comes with big-car safety kit. Basic S-trim models come with the Front Assist system which helps avoid potential collisions by automatically applying the brakes if it detects an impending collision (using on-board radar technology). The entry-level car also features Lane Assist which is able to identify an unintended lane departure and automatically correct the steering.
Adaptive cruise control is an option, along with a Park Assist system and a Safety Package which includes knee airbags for the driver and rear side airbags. The third-generation Fabia achieved a top five-star Euro NCAP rating, and we’d expect the latest model to carry off the same score.
The Fabia is too new to have featured in our 2021 Driver Power customer satisfaction survey, although the Skoda Karoq and Kodiaq SUVs finished in the top 10 on a 75-car list. Skoda itself placed 12th out of 29 manufacturers in the Best brands poll.
Warranty
Skoda offers a three-year/60,000-mile warranty with the Fabia, along with three years of European-wide roadside assistance. There is an option to extend the warranty cover for an extra two years at additional cost.
Servicing
Servicing your Fabia will depend on what type of driving you regularly undertake and how many miles you cover. There is either a fixed or flexible approach, with the former advising a service annually or every 10,000 miles. This is recommended if your vehicle covers mainly shorter journeys in towns or cities, or whether you regularly carry heavy loads and use frequent high revs/heavy braking.
The flexible service regime is more suited if your Fabia covers a higher mileage, with minimal loads and driven in a more constant, efficient manner. A service light will show between 9,000 and 20,000 miles to indicate that an inspection is required.
Skoda offers service plans to help with paying for scheduled maintenance. If you buy a new Fabia, or a model under a year old, you’ll be able to pay an upfront amount of £396 or 24 monthly installments of £16.50 to cover your first two services.
